Ribbon spool

ABSTRACT

A clamping device for securing and maintaining in position the leader of a ribbon or the like in a tubular spool wherein the clamping action is derived from the interengagement of a core and a plurality of camming surfaces in the spool, the core being freely rotatable within the spool. The spool has, formed in its wall, a longitudinal slot for receiving the ribbon leader, and an adjacent indent portion adapted to cam the core against an inside surface of the spool and also against the indent portion for the length of the leader. The leader is held between the camming surfaces of the spool and the core by reason of the pulling forces on the leader as the spool is rotated, there also being additional slots in the spool cooperating with spacers for initiating release of the ribbon from the spool.

States atent [72] Inventor Orvi11eH.She1labarger Dayton,0hio [21] AppLNo. 853,348 [22] Filed Aug.27, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee The National Cash Register Company Dayton,0hio

[54] RIBBON SPOOL 12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 197/175, 242/74.1 [51] lnt.Cl ..B41j35/00, B65h 75/28 [50] FieldoiSearch 197/175, 172, 151; 242/741, 74; 24/255 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 681,719 9/1901 Merk 197/175 1,183,819 5/1916 Keiser.. 242/741 1,759,095 5/1930 Coker 242/741 2,102,446 12/1937 Wallace... 197/175X 2,180,023 11/1939 Tucker 242/74.l

2,631,349 3/1953 Houston 242/74.1 X

2,943,808 7/1960 Loewe et al. 242/741 3,333,309 8/1967 Wistinghausen 24/255 FOREIGN PATENTS 716,109 9/1954 Great Britain 242/741 Primary Examiner- Robert E. Pulfrey Assirlan! Examiner-Stephen C. Pellegrino Anarneys-Louis A. Kline, Wilbert Hawk and George J.

Muckenthaler ABSTRACT: A clamping device for securing and maintaining in position the leader ofa ribbon or the like in a tubular spool wherein the clamping action is derived from the interengagement of a core and a plurality of camming surfaces in the spool, the core being freely rotatable within the spool. The spool has, formed in its wall, a longitudinal slot for receiving the ribbon leader, and an adjacent indent portion adapted to cam the core against an inside surface of the spool and also against the indent portion for the length of the leader. The leader is held between the camming surfaces of the spool and the core by reason of the pulling forces on the leader as the spool is rotated. there also being additional slots in the spool cooperating with spacers for initiating release of the ribbon from the spool.

PATENTEmmv so 197% INVENTORS ORVILLE H. SHELLABARGER WW ms, ATTORNEYS RIBBON SPOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of attaching the end of a ribbon, web, cloth, film, or the like to a spool or a reel, there have been numerous ways and means for providing gripping engagement of the end of the ribbon with the spool. The prior art shows the use of two tubes, one insertable within the other, the outer tube having a longitudinal slot and the inner tube having an external rib extending through the slot for engaging the fabric along one edge of the slot to hold one end of the fabric, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,183,819, issued May Jan. 16, 1916, on the application of Jan Keiser. U.S. Pat. No. 1,759,095, issued May 20, 1930, on the application of Charles W. Coker, shows an inner tube and a resilient, split outer tube wherein the fabric is inserted and held by the wrapping force as a spindle is turned. U.S. Pat. No. 2,390,894, issued Dec. 11, 1945, on the application of John F. Morse, shows a film spool having a central core member with an opening through which film is inserted, the core member being eccentric on its inner surface, and a rotatable clamp having an enlargement engageable with the core member eccentric surface to lock the film in place. The core member rotates on the central axis of the spool in the clamping and unclamping action. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,309 issued Aug. 1, 1967, on the application of Nikolai H. K. Wistinghausen, shows a core clamp of resilient material, apertured to enable springing action, and having irregularly defined inner faces for locking a roll on a square shaft.

Although the abovenoted U.S. patents teach the use of the various attaching, clamping, or fastening structures for the purposes intended, said structures are limited in application and operation. For instance, the success of U.S. patent No. l,759,095 must depend upon the resiliency of the outer tube to press the fabric against the inner tube, and the result in U.S. atent No. 2,390,894 must depend upon a fixed axis clamp device contacting an eccentric surface on the interior of the core member. However, it is desirable that a clamping device be made available for securing a ribbon leader or the like on a spool wherein the clamping action is insured by the pull of the ribbon in rotating a movable-center core about the inside of the spool, and also wherein the device is adapted for ease of loading and unloading the ribbon and so constructed as not to interfere with the winding of the ribbon on the spool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ribbon-carrying spools and more particularly to means for locking and unlocking the end of the ribbon as the ribbon is wound on and unwound from the spool. The invention is particularly useful in the field of printers wherein a carbon ribbon is caused to be driven past a type line in continuous fashion, the ribbon traveling from one spool to another (for example, from a supply spool to a takeup spool). The ribbon supply spool is characterized by having a given quantity of ribbon wound thereon and placed on a printer in position so that, when the ribbon is unwound from the supply spool, it is carried in the path around a type drum and onto a takeup spool. The takeup spool includes a hollow metallic tube or mandrel, formed with a longitudinal opening or slot along a peripheral midsection thereof, and a core member inserted inside the mandrel, the core member being adapted to cooperate with the opening in the mandrel to receive the end of the ribbon and to secure it during winding of the ribbon onto the spool. The ribbon generally has a leader at one end thereof to be received into the opening and to be wound around the core in the space between the periphery of the core and the inside surface of the mandrel. The core member is of a diameter to be readily slidable inside the tube and also allow space for the ribbon leader to be wound for securing it. The core includes a pair of spacers or jutting elements fixed thereto near its ends, and positioned to ride along a predetermined angular distance in slots normal to the longitudinal opening formed in the mandrel. The longitudinal opening and the slot at either end thereof constitute a widebased -U-shaped construction for the ribbon leader to be received and for the spacers to travel when releasing the leader from the spool. The mandrel has a lip portion between the end slots, running adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal opening, and formed inwardly to decrease the diameter of the mandrel along a prescribed arc of the circle. The core is shaped to have a flattened surface cooperating with the mandrel portion, so that, upon rotation of the core to secure the leader, on edge of the surface is cammed against the lip portion, and, at the same time, the opposite edge of the flattened surface is cammed against an additional interior surface portion of the mandrel. The leader is thus secured around the core by the camming action in the two places by reason of the leader extending substantially around the core, and the ribbon is held in position as the mandrel is rotated.

As the mandrel is turned or rotated in one direction, the outward pull on the ribbon causes the core to rotate and the spacer to move along the end slots, the core entering into a wedged position along each of its edge surfaces, which clamps the ribbon leader along its length. As more force is applied to the leader, the more secure it becomes by reason of the wedging action. Rotation of the core in the opposite direction, by manual movement of the spacers along the slots, unlocks the edge surfaces of the core from the camming, or wedging, position and releases the ribbon leader for removal from the mandrel. With the leader inserted through the opening and guided around the core, the ribbon is securely clamped to the mandrel, and, the greater the pull exerted on the ribbon, the greater the clamping action between the core and the mandrel. Since the core includes a flattened surface on one side, it is free to rotate within the spool a certain distance and to seek the most effective clamping position by reason of its movable axis. In this respect, the center of the core is independent from the center of the spool.

In view of the above discussion, the principal object of the present invention is to provide locking means for securing the end ofa ribbon on a spool, including a member adaptable for seeking its maximum clamping position.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a spool having locking and unlocking features for ease in handling the end ofthe ribbon.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon spool with a clamping device which is self-contained within the spool for enabling winding of the ribbon thereon and unwinding the ribbon therefrom without the use of external tools.

Another object of the present invention is to provide locking and unlocking means in a ribbon spool which does not interfere with the winding and unwinding of the ribbon.

Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent and fully understood from a reading of the following description taken together with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, in diagrammatic form, of a portion ofa printer incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a takeup spool with the ribbon leader secured thereto; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. I, there is shown a portion of a printing mechanism including a type drum l2 rotatably carried by means of a shaft 14 connected to a suitable drive means (not shown). A carbon ribbon 16 is caused to be driven in a path past a type line during its travel from a supply spool 18 to a takeup spool 20. Record material 22, such as paper or the like, is likewise caused to be driven past a type hammer 24, so that, upon receipt of the signal to print, the hammer is driven against the paper, the carbon ribbon, and, in turn, a type element on the type drum 12, the result of which is an imprint of the selected type element on the paper. During printing operations, the paper and the ribbon are continuously driven past the type line, so that the ribbon 16 unwinds from the spool and winds around the takeup spool, it being necessary, of course, that the ribbon remain substantially taunt at all times. In

traveling along its path from one spool to the other, the ribbon is guided past an antiskew member 26, around rollers 28 and 30, and across a type drum protective cover 32.

Generally, the ribbon, as it comes from the manufacturer, includes a leader 36 (FIG. 2), which is provided on one end of the ribbon for the purpose of readily attaching the ribbon to the takeup spool, this spool being a tubular member made of plated steel. The leader is usually made of material sufficiently flexible to easily conform to the shape of the takeup spool, yet sufficiently rigid to provide securing and clamping capability. In this respect, the ribbon leader may be paper, cardboard, plastic, cloth, or the like which is readily securable to the ribbon by suitable means. The supply spool 18 is placed on mandrel chucks (not shown) spaced approximately the length of the spool, one of the chucks being spring loaded for ease ofinstallation and to maintain pressure axially on the spool. Of course, the positions of the spools may be reversed from those shown in FIG. 1; that is, the upper spool may be used as the supply spool and the lower as the takeup spool, if the operation is more suitable in this manner.

The leader 36 is unwound from the supply spool 18 and threaded in a path around the type drum l2 and inserted into a longitudinal slot 38 (FIG. 2), which is longer than the width of the leader, and then around a plastic core member 40 (see also FIG. 1) previously placed within the spool 20. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spool has, formed in its periphery, a portion adjacent the slot 38, which portion includes an inwardly directed formation 42 and an outwardly directed lip 44, the lip 44 stopping short of the exterior surface of the spool. The core member 40 is circular in shape and of lesser diameter than the inside diameter of the spool to rotate freely therein, and it has a flat surface 46 along one side thereof, defined by a chordal portion removed therefrom. A pair of spacers, detents, or abutments 48 and 49 are secured to the flat surface 46 by means of screws 50 and 51, there being a spacer provided adjacent each end of the core 40 and extending into extensions 52 and 54 of the slot 38, these extensions being so positioned as to form end slots for a predetermined distance around the circumference of the spool 20. As the core 40 is adaptable to be rotated within the spool 20, the spacers 48 and 49 are movable freely along the slot extensions 52 and 54, it being noted that the spacers with the securing screws are likewise within the extent of the outside diameter of the spool 20 to allow the ribbon to wrap around the spool without interference from the screws. The extent of the spacers and the screws adds sufficient diameter to the core member 40 so that the spacers are assembled to the core member after the core has been inserted onto the spool from one endthereof. This extent of the spacers also insures that the core 40 will not inadvertently slide along the area of the slot 38 or out of range of the slot extensions 52 and 54, so as to pennit uncontrolled movement in the clamping and releasing action thereof within the spool 20.

As mentioned above, the leader 36 is inserted through the slot 38 and threaded around the core member 48, the free end 60 of the leader passing an edge 61 of the surface 46 on its lower side (FIG. 3). In the securing, or clamping, position of the leader, a second edge 62 of the core surface 46 is against the leader and presses it into contact with the interior surface of the formation 42. In this respect, the leader 36 is firmly secured and clamped by the camming action at the core edge 61 pressing the leader against the interior surface of the spool 20 and at the core edge 62 pressing the ribbon against the spool formation 42. Looking at FIG. 3, when pull is exerted on the leader 36, the core member 40 is rotated clockwise, which cam the two edges 61 and 62 with the interior surface and the formation of the spool. The greater the pull on the leader, the greater the clamping action. This clamping action is accomplished by reason of core member's being independent of the axis of the spool as the core seeks its own center in the clamping position. As the spool is rotated on the mandrel chucks, the leader and the ribbon are wound on the spool in circular manner, the lip portion 44 and the screws 50 and 51 being within the periphery of the spool and completely covered during winding and unwinding of the ribbon.

When the ribbon is unwound from the spool, the leader again takes the position shown in FIG. 3, so that it is still taut around the core member 40. The leader is very easily released from the clamping action of the core 40 by moving the spacers 48 and 49 counterclockwise along the slot extensions 52 and 54, which movement rotates the core away from he spool clamping surfaces to permit the leader to be pulled from around the core and out through the slot 38. Since the spacers are beyond the edges of the leader (FIG. 2), it is a simple matter to manually so turn the core thereby for releasing the ribbon from the spool.

It has thus seen that herein shown and described is a holding or clamping device for a ribbon leader which device accomplishes all the features and advantages mentioned above. While only one embodiment has been disclosed, certain variations on the above may occur to those skilled in the art, so it is contemplated that all such variations having these features are within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamping device for securing and releasing one end of a ribbon or the like in the winding and unwinding thereof, comprising a tubular member having an interrupted longitudinal opening in the wall thereof and extending at the ends of the opening around the periphery of the member a predetermined distance to form a lip portion along the opening, said lip portion extending inwardly from the circumference of the tubular member and a core member insertable in the tubular member and rotatable therein about an axis independent from the axis of the tubular member to press said ribbon against the lip portion in camming fashion in one direction of rotation of the core member to secure the ribbon, and the core member being rotatable in the opposite direction to remove said member from contact with the lip portion for release of the ribbon.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubular member lip portion is formed to provide a surface inwardly from the circumference of the tubular member.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the core member includes a surface along its length defined by a chordal portion omitted from said member.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the core member includes abutment means movable in the opening extensions along the predetermined distance around the periphery of the tubular member to rotate the core member and thus release the hold on the ribbon.

5. Means for securing one end of a ribbon in a hollow spool having a longitudinal slot of limited length therein, said means including a circular core member insertable and rotatable within the spool in a position cooperable with the slot, the slot extending a predetermined distance at the ends thereof peripherally on the spool and defining a spool portion therebetween, the spool portion being formed inwardly to be contained within the circumference of the spool, and the core member having a noncircular surface along one side for pressing the ribbon into contact with said spool portion when said core member is rotated in one direction, and

means connected to the core member and movable into the slot extensions for rotating the core member to release the ribbon when the core member is rotated in the opposite direction.

6. The securing means of claim 5 wherein said core member includes a surface along its length of lesser dimension than that of the radius of the core to form edge portions engageable with the spool portion and with the interior surface of the spool as said core is rotated in one direction.

7. The securing means of claim 5 wherein the means connected to the core member are abutments movable a predetermined distance in the slot extensions formed on the spool to rotate the core for releasing the ribbon.

8. In a printer mechanism, the combination of a type drum, a print hammer, a ribbon traveling from one spool in a path between the hammer and the type drum, and means for securing the end of the ribbon to a second spool and for releasing therefrom, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical mandrel having a longitudinal slot running along a predetermined distance therein and extending at both ends thereof in a direction circumferentially therefrom to define a lip portion between the slot extensions, the lip portion being formed inwardly from the circumference of the mandrel,

a core member insertable into and loosely rotatable within the mandrel, the member being generally circular in shape but having a portion removed therefrom to define a surface with edges along the length of the core member, and

abutment means affixed to said surface and movable along the slot extensions, the end of the ribbon being inserted through the slot and around the core member and engageable by the core member surface edges, whereby rotation of the core member in one direction'cams one surface edge against the ribbon and the inside surface of the mandrel and cams another surface edge against the ribbon and the lip portion, and rotation of the core member in the other direction, by movement of the abutment means along the slot extensions, releases the ribbon from the camming action of the core member and the mandrel.

9. The mechanism of claim 8 wherein the ribbon includes a leader attached thereto insertable along the length of the slot and around the core member to be secured to the mandrel upon rotation of the core member on its axis.

10. The mechanism of claim 8 wherein said core member abutment means are movable along the slot extensions in a path within the periphery of the mandrel.

11. In a printer, the combination of a type drum, a print hammer, record material moving in the path between the type drum and the print hammer, a ribbon travelling from a supply spool in a path adjacent the record material, and means for securing one end of the ribbon, comprising a hollow cylinder joumaled on the printer and having an interrupted longitudinal slot in one side thereof and extending at the ends of the slot in a direction circumferentially around the cylinder a predetermined distance to form a lip portion between the slot extensions, the lip portion being directed inwardly so as to present a surface of lesser dimension than that of the radius of the cylinder and then directed outwardly to present a surface edge short of the circumference of the cylinder, and

a core member positioned along the longitudinal slot within the cylinder, the member being generally circular in shape and of a radial dimension so as to provide a gap between the interior surface of the cylinder and the exterior surface of the member for accepting the ribbon end therearound, the member having a portion removed therefrom to form a surface along one side at a lesser dimension than that of the radius of the member and the surface having cam edges along the length thereof, whereby, upon rotation of the member in one direction, the member assumes an axis different from that of the center of the cylinder, with one edge being positioned to press the ribbon into contact with the interior surface of the cylinder on the inside radius thereof and another edge being positioned to press the ribbon into contact with the inwardly directed lip portion.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said core member includes abutments fixed to its lesser dimensioned surface and movable along the slot extensions in the cylinder for release of the ribbon from the camming edges. 

1. A clamping device for securing and releasing one end of a ribbon or the like in the winding and unwinding thereof, comprising a tubular member having an interrupted longitudinal opening in the wall thereof and extending at the ends of the opening around the periphery of the member a predetermined distance to form a lip portiOn along the opening, said lip portion extending inwardly from the circumference of the tubular member, and a core member insertable in the tubular member and rotatable therein about an axis independent from the axis of the tubular member to press said ribbon against the lip portion in camming fashion in one direction of rotation of the core member to secure the ribbon, and the core member being rotatable in the opposite direction to remove said member from contact with the lip portion for release of the ribbon.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubular member lip portion is formed to provide a surface inwardly from the circumference of the tubular member.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the core member includes a surface along its length defined by a chordal portion omitted from said member.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the core member includes abutment means movable in the opening extensions along the predetermined distance around the periphery of the tubular member to rotate the core member and thus release the hold on the ribbon.
 5. Means for securing one end of a ribbon in a hollow spool having a longitudinal slot of limited length therein, said means including a circular core member insertable and rotatable within the spool in a position cooperable with the slot, the slot extending a predetermined distance at the ends thereof peripherally on the spool and defining a spool portion therebetween, the spool portion being formed inwardly to be contained within the circumference of the spool, and the core member having a noncircular surface along one side for pressing the ribbon into contact with said spool portion when said core member is rotated in one direction, and means connected to the core member and movable into the slot extensions for rotating the core member to release the ribbon when the core member is rotated in the opposite direction.
 6. The securing means of claim 5 wherein said core member includes a surface along its length of lesser dimension than that of the radius of the core to form edge portions engageable with the spool portion and with the interior surface of the spool as said core is rotated in one direction.
 7. The securing means of claim 5 wherein the means connected to the core member are abutments movable a predetermined distance in the slot extensions formed on the spool to rotate the core for releasing the ribbon.
 8. In a printer mechanism, the combination of a type drum, a print hammer, a ribbon traveling from one spool in a path between the hammer and the type drum, and means for securing the end of the ribbon to a second spool and for releasing therefrom, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical mandrel having a longitudinal slot running along a predetermined distance therein and extending at both ends thereof in a direction circumferentially therefrom to define a lip portion between the slot extensions, the lip portion being formed inwardly from the circumference of the mandrel, a core member insertable into and loosely rotatable within the mandrel, the member being generally circular in shape but having a portion removed therefrom to define a surface with edges along the length of the core member, and abutment means affixed to said surface and movable along the slot extensions, the end of the ribbon being inserted through the slot and around the core member and engageable by the core member surface edges, whereby rotation of the core member in one direction cams one surface edge against the ribbon and the inside surface of the mandrel and cams another surface edge against the ribbon and the lip portion, and rotation of the core member in the other direction, by movement of the abutment means along the slot extensions, releases the ribbon from the camming action of the core member and the mandrel.
 9. The mechanism of claim 8 wherein the ribbon includes a leader attached thereto insertable along the length of the slot and around the core member to be secured To the mandrel upon rotation of the core member on its axis.
 10. The mechanism of claim 8 wherein said core member abutment means are movable along the slot extensions in a path within the periphery of the mandrel.
 11. In a printer, the combination of a type drum, a print hammer, record material moving in a path between the type drum and the print hammer, a ribbon travelling from a supply spool in a path adjacent the record material, and means for securing one end of the ribbon, comprising a hollow cylinder journaled on the printer and having an interrupted longitudinal slot in one side thereof and extending at the ends of the slot in a direction circumferentially around the cylinder a predetermined distance to form a lip portion between the slot extensions, the lip portion being directed inwardly so as to present a surface of lesser dimension than that of the radius of the cylinder and then directed outwardly to present a surface edge short of the circumference of the cylinder, and a core member positioned along the longitudinal slot within the cylinder, the member being generally circular in shape and of a radial dimension so as to provide a gap between the interior surface of the cylinder and the exterior surface of the member for accepting the ribbon end therearound, the member having a portion removed therefrom to form a surface along one side at a lesser dimension than that of the radius of the member and the surface having cam edges along the length thereof, whereby, upon rotation of the member in one direction, the member assumes an axis different from that of the center of the cylinder, with one edge being positioned to press the ribbon into contact with the interior surface of the cylinder on the inside radius thereof and another edge being positioned to press the ribbon into contact with the inwardly directed lip portion.
 12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said core member includes abutments fixed to its lesser dimensioned surface and movable along the slot extensions in the cylinder for release of the ribbon from the camming edges. 